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Venugopalan LP, Aimanianda V, Namperumalsamy VP, Prajna L, Kuppamuthu D, Jayapal JM. Comparative proteome analysis identifies species-specific signature proteins in Aspergillus pathogens. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s00253-023-12559-4. [PMID: 37166481 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12559-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus are important human pathogens that can infect the lung and cornea. During infection, Aspergillus dormant conidia are the primary morphotype that comes in contact with the host. As the conidial surface-associated proteins (CSPs) and the extracellular proteins during the early stages of growth play a crucial role in establishing infection, we profiled and compared these proteins between a clinical strain of A. flavus and a clinical strain of A. fumigatus. We identified nearly 100 CSPs in both Aspergillus, and these non-covalently associated surface proteins were able to stimulate the neutrophils to secrete interleukin IL-8. Mass spectrometry analysis identified more than 200 proteins in the extracellular space during the early stages of conidial growth and germination (early exoproteome). The conidial surface proteins and the early exoproteome of A. fumigatus were enriched with immunoreactive proteins and those with pathogenicity-related functions while that of the A. flavus were primarily enzymes involved in cell wall reorganization and binding. Comparative proteome analysis of the CSPs and the early exoproteome between A. flavus and A. fumigatus enabled the identification of a common core proteome and potential species-specific signature proteins. Transcript analysis of selected proteins indicate that the transcript-protein level correlation does not exist for all proteins and might depend on factors such as membrane-anchor signals and protein half-life. The probable signature proteins of A. flavus and A. fumigatus identified in this study can serve as potential candidates for developing species-specific diagnostic tests. KEY POINTS: • CSPs and exoproteins could differentiate A. flavus and A. fumigatus. • A. fumigatus conidial surface harbored more antigenic proteins than A. flavus. • Identified species-specific signature proteins of A. flavus and A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshmi Prabha Venugopalan
- Department of Proteomics, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Anna Nagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Present address: Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai, India
| | - Vishukumar Aimanianda
- Unité des Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
- Present address: Unité de recherche Mycologie Moléculaire, UMR2000, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | - Lalitha Prajna
- Department of Ocular Microbiology, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Anna Nagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dharmalingam Kuppamuthu
- Department of Proteomics, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Anna Nagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jeya Maheshwari Jayapal
- Department of Proteomics, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Anna Nagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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2
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Schwarz C, Eschenhagen P, Schmidt H, Hohnstein T, Iwert C, Grehn C, Roehmel J, Steinke E, Stahl M, Lozza L, Tikhonova E, Rosati E, Stervbo U, Babel N, Mainz JG, Wisplinghoff H, Ebel F, Jia LJ, Blango MG, Hortschansky P, Brunke S, Hube B, Brakhage AA, Kniemeyer O, Scheffold A, Bacher P. Antigen specificity and cross-reactivity drive functionally diverse anti-Aspergillus fumigatus T cell responses in cystic fibrosis. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:161593. [PMID: 36701198 PMCID: PMC9974102 DOI: 10.1172/jci161593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDThe fungus Aspergillus fumigatus causes a variety of clinical phenotypes in patients with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Th cells orchestrate immune responses against fungi, but the types of A. fumigatus-specific Th cells in pwCF and their contribution to protective immunity or inflammation remain poorly characterized.METHODSWe used antigen-reactive T cell enrichment (ARTE) to investigate fungus-reactive Th cells in peripheral blood of pwCF and healthy controls.RESULTSWe show that clonally expanded, high-avidity A. fumigatus-specific effector Th cells, which were absent in healthy donors, developed in pwCF. Individual patients were characterized by distinct Th1-, Th2-, or Th17-dominated responses that remained stable over several years. These different Th subsets target different A. fumigatus proteins, indicating that differential antigen uptake and presentation directs Th cell subset development. Patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are characterized by high frequencies of Th2 cells that cross-recognize various filamentous fungi.CONCLUSIONOur data highlight the development of heterogenous Th responses targeting different protein fractions of a single fungal pathogen and identify the development of multispecies cross-reactive Th2 cells as a potential risk factor for ABPA.FUNDINGGerman Research Foundation (DFG), under Germany's Excellence Strategy (EXC 2167-390884018 "Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation" and EXC 2051-390713860 "Balance of the Microverse"); Oskar Helene Heim Stiftung; Christiane Herzog Stiftung; Mukoviszidose Institut gGmb; German Cystic Fibrosis Association Mukoviszidose e.V; German Federal Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF) InfectControl 2020 Projects AnDiPath (BMBF 03ZZ0838A+B).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Schwarz
- Klinikum Westbrandenburg, Campus Potsdam, Cystic Fibrosis Section, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Patience Eschenhagen
- Klinikum Westbrandenburg, Campus Potsdam, Cystic Fibrosis Section, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Henrijette Schmidt
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and UKSH Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Thordis Hohnstein
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Iwert
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Translational Immunology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Grehn
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jobst Roehmel
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt – Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Steinke
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt – Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), associated partner site, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirjam Stahl
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt – Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), associated partner site, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Lozza
- Cell Biology Laboratory, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Tikhonova
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and UKSH Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Elisa Rosati
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and UKSH Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Ulrik Stervbo
- Center for Translational Medicine and Immune Diagnostics Laboratory, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Translational Medicine and Immune Diagnostics Laboratory, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany
| | - Jochen G. Mainz
- Brandenburg Medical School/Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg (MHB), University, Pediatric Pulmonology/Cystic Fibrosis, Klinikum Westbrandenburg, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
| | - Hilmar Wisplinghoff
- Labor Dr. Wisplinghoff, Cologne, Germany.,Institute for Virology and Microbiology, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Frank Ebel
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Lei-Jie Jia
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Matthew G. Blango
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Hortschansky
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Sascha Brunke
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Scheffold
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and UKSH Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Petra Bacher
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and UKSH Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
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3
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Machata S, Müller MM, Lehmann R, Sieber P, Panagiotou G, Carvalho A, Cunha C, Lagrou K, Maertens J, Slevogt H, Jacobsen ID. Proteome analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids reveals host and fungal proteins highly expressed during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice and humans. Virulence 2021; 11:1337-1351. [PMID: 33043780 PMCID: PMC7549978 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1824960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a severe infection that is difficult to diagnose due to the ubiquitous presence of fungal spores, the underlying diseases of risk patients, and limitations of currently available markers. In this study, we performed a comprehensive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based identification of host and fungal proteins expressed during IPA in mice and humans. The proteomic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage samples of individual IPA and control cases allowed the description of common host factors that had significantly increased abundance in both infected animals and IPA patients compared to their controls. Although increased levels of these individual host proteins might not be sufficient to distinguish bacterial from fungal infection, a combination of these markers might be beneficial to improve diagnosis. We also identified 16 fungal proteins that were specifically detected during infection and may be valuable candidates for biomarker evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Machata
- Microbial Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute , Jena, Germany
| | - Mario M Müller
- Septomics Research Centre, Jena University Hospital , Jena, Germany
| | - Roland Lehmann
- Septomics Research Centre, Jena University Hospital , Jena, Germany
| | - Patricia Sieber
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute , Jena, Germany
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute , Jena, Germany.,School of the Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong, China
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho , Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Cristina Cunha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho , Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven , Leuven, Belgium.,Clinical Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Center for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Maertens
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven , Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hortense Slevogt
- Septomics Research Centre, Jena University Hospital , Jena, Germany
| | - Ilse D Jacobsen
- Microbial Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute , Jena, Germany.,Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena , Jena, Germany
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4
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Davies G, Singh O, Prattes J, Hoenigl M, Sheppard PW, Thornton CR. Aspergillus fumigatus and Its Allergenic Ribotoxin Asp f I: Old Enemies but New Opportunities for Urine-Based Detection of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Using Lateral-Flow Technology. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 7:19. [PMID: 33396482 PMCID: PMC7823411 DOI: 10.3390/jof7010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) caused by Aspergillus fumigatus is a life-threatening lung disease of immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis currently relies on non-specific chest CT, culture of the fungus from invasive lung biopsy, and detection of the cell wall carbohydrate galactomannan (GM) in serum or in BAL fluids recovered during invasive bronchoscopy. Urine provides an ideal bodily fluid for the non-invasive detection of pathogen biomarkers, with current urine-based immunodiagnostics for IPA focused on GM. Surrogate protein biomarkers might serve to improve disease detection. Here, we report the development of a monoclonal antibody (mAb), PD7, which is specific to A. fumigatus and related species in the section Fumigati, and which binds to its 18 kDa ribotoxin Asp f I. Using PD7, we show that the protein is secreted during hyphal development, and so represents an ideal candidate for detecting invasive growth. We have developed a lateral-flow device (Afu-LFD®) incorporating the mAb which has a limit of detection of ~15 ng Asp f I/mL urine. Preliminary evidence of the test's diagnostic potential is demonstrated with urine from a patient with acute lymphoid leukaemia with probable IPA. The Afu-LFD® therefore provides a potential novel opportunity for non-invasive urine-based detection of IPA caused by A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genna Davies
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
- Biosciences and MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
| | - Oski Singh
- Biosciences and MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria; (J.P.); (M.H.)
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria; (J.P.); (M.H.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Paul W. Sheppard
- Vacye Associates, Lowerdown Cottage, Lowerdown, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9LF, UK;
| | - Christopher R. Thornton
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
- Biosciences and MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
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5
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Shankar J, Tiwari S, Shishodia SK, Gangwar M, Hoda S, Thakur R, Vijayaraghavan P. Molecular Insights Into Development and Virulence Determinants of Aspergilli: A Proteomic Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:180. [PMID: 29896454 PMCID: PMC5986918 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species are the major cause of health concern worldwide in immunocompromised individuals. Opportunistic Aspergilli cause invasive to allergic aspergillosis, whereas non-infectious Aspergilli have contributed to understand the biology of eukaryotic organisms and serve as a model organism. Morphotypes of Aspergilli such as conidia or mycelia/hyphae helped them to survive in favorable or unfavorable environmental conditions. These morphotypes contribute to virulence, pathogenicity and invasion into hosts by excreting proteins, enzymes or toxins. Morphological transition of Aspergillus species has been a critical step to infect host or to colonize on food products. Thus, we reviewed proteins from Aspergilli to understand the biological processes, biochemical, and cellular pathways that are involved in transition and morphogenesis. We majorly analyzed proteomic studies on A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus, and A. niger to gain insight into mechanisms involved in the transition from conidia to mycelia along with the role of secondary metabolites. Proteome analysis of morphotypes of Aspergilli provided information on key biological pathways required to exit conidial dormancy, consortia of virulent factors and mycotoxins during the transition. The application of proteomic approaches has uncovered the biological processes during development as well as intermediates of secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway. We listed key proteins/ enzymes or toxins at different morphological types of Aspergillus that could be applicable in discovery of novel therapeutic targets or metabolite based diagnostic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shraddha Tiwari
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Sonia K Shishodia
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Manali Gangwar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shanu Hoda
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
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6
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Schubert M, Spiegel H, Schillberg S, Nölke G. Aspergillus-specific antibodies - Targets and applications. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1167-1184. [PMID: 29608951 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus is a fungal genus comprising several hundred species, many of which can damage the health of plants, animals and humans by direct infection and/or due to the production of toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. Aspergillus-specific antibodies have been generated against polypeptides, polysaccharides and secondary metabolites found in the cell wall or secretions, and these can be used to detect and monitor infections or to quantify mycotoxin contamination in food and feed. However, most Aspergillus-specific antibodies are generated against heterogeneous antigen preparations and the specific target remains unknown. Target identification is important because this can help to characterize fungal morphology, confirm host penetration by opportunistic pathogens, detect specific disease-related biomarkers, identify new candidate targets for antifungal drug design, and qualify antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this review, we discuss how antibodies are raised against heterogeneous Aspergillus antigen preparations and how they can be characterized, focusing on strategies to identify their specific antigens and epitopes. We also discuss the therapeutic, diagnostic and biotechnological applications of Aspergillus-specific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Schubert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Holger Spiegel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Phytopathology Department, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Greta Nölke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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7
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Vermeulen E, Carpentier S, Kniemeyer O, Sillen M, Maertens J, Lagrou K. Proteomic Differences between Azole-Susceptible and -Resistant <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> Strains. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.4236/aim.2018.81007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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8
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Proteomics as a Tool to Identify New Targets Against Aspergillus and Scedosporium in the Context of Cystic Fibrosis. Mycopathologia 2017; 183:273-289. [PMID: 28484941 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-017-0139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that increases the risk of suffering microbial, including fungal, infections. In this paper, proteomics-based information was collated relating to secreted and cell wall proteins with potential medical applications from the most common filamentous fungi in CF, i.e., Aspergillus and Scedosporium/Lomentospora species. Among the Aspergillus fumigatus secreted allergens, β-1,3-endoglucanase, the alkaline protease 1 (Alp1/oryzin), Asp f 2, Asp f 13/15, chitinase, chitosanase, dipeptidyl-peptidase V (DppV), the metalloprotease Asp f 5, mitogillin/Asp f 1, and thioredoxin reductase receive a special mention. In addition, the antigens β-glucosidase 1, catalase, glucan endo-1,3-β-glucosidase EglC, β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases Gel1 and Gel2, and glutaminase A were also identified in secretomes of other Aspergillus species associated with CF: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nidulans, and Aspergillus terreus. Regarding cell wall proteins, cytochrome P450 and eEF-3 were proposed as diagnostic targets, and alkaline protease 2 (Alp2), Asp f 3 (putative peroxiredoxin pmp20), probable glycosidases Asp f 9/Crf1 and Crf2, GPI-anchored protein Ecm33, β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase Gel4, conidial hydrophobin Hyp1/RodA, and secreted aspartyl protease Pep2 as protective vaccines in A. fumigatus. On the other hand, for Scedosporium/Lomentospora species, the heat shock protein Hsp70 stands out as a relevant secreted and cell wall antigen. Additionally, the secreted aspartyl proteinase and an ortholog of Asp f 13, as well as the cell wall endo-1,3-β-D-glucosidase and 1,3-β-glucanosyl transferase, were also found to be significant proteins. In conclusion, proteins mentioned in this review may be promising candidates for developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic tools for fungal infections in CF patients.
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9
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Anjo SI, Figueiredo F, Fernandes R, Manadas B, Oliveira M. A proteomic and ultrastructural characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus' conidia adaptation at different culture ages. J Proteomics 2017; 161:47-56. [PMID: 28365406 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The airborne fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the most common agents of human fungal infections with a remarkable impact on public health. However, A. fumigatus conidia atmospheric resistance and longevity mechanisms are still unknown. Therefore, in this work, the processes underlying conidial adaptation were studied by a time course evaluation of the proteomics and ultrastructural changes of A. fumigatus' conidia at three time-points selected according to relevant changes previously established in conidial survival rates. The proteomics characterization revealed that conidia change from a highly active metabolic to a dormant state, culminating in cell autolysis as revealed by the increased levels of hydrolytic enzymes. Structural characterization corroborates the proteomics data, with noticeable changes observed in mitochondria, nucleus and plasma membrane ultrastructure, accompanied by the formation of autophagic vacuoles. These changes are consistent with both apoptotic and autophagic processes, and indicate that the changes in protein levels may anticipate those in cell morphology. SIGNIFICANCE The findings presented in this work not only clarify the processes underlying conidial adaptation to nutrient limiting conditions but can also be exploited for improving infection control strategies and in the development of new therapeutical drugs. Additionally, the present study was deposited in a public database and thus, it may also be a valuable dataset to be used by the scientific community as a tool to understand and identified other potential targets associated with conidia resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra I Anjo
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal; CNC.IBILI, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Figueiredo
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Fernandes
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Bruno Manadas
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; CNC.IBILI, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Manuela Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal.
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10
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Frisvad JC, Larsen TO. Extrolites of Aspergillus fumigatus and Other Pathogenic Species in Aspergillus Section Fumigati. Front Microbiol 2016; 6:1485. [PMID: 26779142 PMCID: PMC4703822 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an important opportunistic human pathogen known for its production of a large array of extrolites. Up to 63 species have been described in Aspergillus section Fumigati, some of which have also been reliably reported to be pathogenic, including A. felis, A. fischeri, A. fumigatiaffinis, A. fumisynnematus, A. hiratsukae, A. laciniosus, A. lentulus, A. novofumigatus, A. parafelis, A. pseudofelis, A. pseudoviridinutans, A. spinosus, A. thermomutatus, and A. udagawae. These species share the production of hydrophobins, melanins, and siderophores and ability to grow well at 37°C, but they only share some small molecule extrolites, that could be important factors in pathogenicity. According to the literature gliotoxin and other exometabolites can be contributing factors to pathogenicity, but these exometabolites are apparently not produced by all pathogenic species. It is our hypothesis that species unable to produce some of these metabolites can produce proxy-exometabolites that may serve the same function. We tabulate all exometabolites reported from species in Aspergillus section Fumigati and by comparing the profile of those extrolites, suggest that those producing many different kinds of exometabolites are potential opportunistic pathogens. The exometabolite data also suggest that the profile of exometabolites are highly specific and can be used for identification of these closely related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens C. Frisvad
- Section of Eukaryotic Biotechnology, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of DenmarkKongens Lyngby, Denmark
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Bacher P, Kniemeyer O, Teutschbein J, Thön M, Vödisch M, Wartenberg D, Scharf DH, Koester-Eiserfunke N, Schütte M, Dübel S, Assenmacher M, Brakhage AA, Scheffold A. Identification of Immunogenic Antigens fromAspergillus fumigatusby Direct Multiparameter Characterization of Specific Conventional and Regulatory CD4+T Cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:3332-43. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Beck J, Broniszewska M, Schwienbacher M, Ebel F. Characterization of the Aspergillus fumigatus chitosanase CsnB and evaluation of its potential use in serological diagnostics. Int J Med Microbiol 2014; 304:696-702. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2013] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/03/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Provost NB, Shi C, She YM, Cyr TD, Miller JD. Characterization of an antigenic chitosanase from the cellulolytic fungusChaetomium globosum. Med Mycol 2013; 51:290-9. [DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2012.715246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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14
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Shi LN, Li FQ, Lu JF, Kong XX, Wang SQ, Huang M, Shao HF, Shao SH. Antibody specific to thioredoxin reductase as a new biomarker for serodiagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients. Clin Chim Acta 2012; 413:938-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2012.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2011] [Revised: 02/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Hagag S, Kubitschek-Barreira P, Neves GWP, Amar D, Nierman W, Shalit I, Shamir R, Lopes-Bezerra L, Osherov N. Transcriptional and proteomic analysis of the Aspergillus fumigatus ΔprtT protease-deficient mutant. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33604. [PMID: 22514608 PMCID: PMC3326020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common opportunistic mold pathogen of humans, infecting immunocompromised patients. The fungus invades the lungs and other organs, causing severe damage. Penetration of the pulmonary epithelium is a key step in the infectious process. A. fumigatus produces extracellular proteases to degrade the host structural barriers. The A. fumigatus transcription factor PrtT controls the expression of multiple secreted proteases. PrtT shows similarity to the fungal Gal4-type Zn(2)-Cys(6) DNA-binding domain of several transcription factors. In this work, we further investigate the function of this transcription factor by performing a transcriptional and a proteomic analysis of the ΔprtT mutant. Unexpectedly, microarray analysis revealed that in addition to the expected decrease in protease expression, expression of genes involved in iron uptake and ergosterol synthesis was dramatically decreased in the ΔprtT mutant. A second finding of interest is that deletion of prtT resulted in the upregulation of four secondary metabolite clusters, including genes for the biosynthesis of toxic pseurotin A. Proteomic analysis identified reduced levels of three secreted proteases (ALP1 protease, TppA, AFUA_2G01250) and increased levels of three secreted polysaccharide-degrading enzymes in the ΔprtT mutant possibly in response to its inability to derive sufficient nourishment from protein breakdown. This report highlights the complexity of gene regulation by PrtT, and suggests a potential novel link between the regulation of protease secretion and the control of iron uptake, ergosterol biosynthesis and secondary metabolite production in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly Hagag
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Paula Kubitschek-Barreira
- Department of Cellular Biology, The Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, University of Estado Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela W. P. Neves
- Department of Cellular Biology, The Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, University of Estado Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - David Amar
- Department of Computer Science, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - William Nierman
- The J. CraigVenter Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Itamar Shalit
- Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ron Shamir
- Department of Computer Science, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Leila Lopes-Bezerra
- Department of Cellular Biology, The Roberto Alcantara Gomes Institute of Biology, University of Estado Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nir Osherov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail:
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Kniemeyer O. Proteomics of eukaryotic microorganisms: The medically and biotechnologically important fungal genus Aspergillus. Proteomics 2011; 11:3232-43. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201100087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2011] [Revised: 03/26/2011] [Accepted: 04/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Watson DS, Feng X, Askew DS, Jambunathan K, Kodukula K, Galande AK. Substrate specifity profiling of the Aspergillus fumigatus proteolytic secretome reveals consensus motifs with predominance of Ile/Leu and Phe/Tyr. PLoS One 2011; 6:e21001. [PMID: 21695046 PMCID: PMC3117871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) can cause devastating infections in immunocompromised individuals. Early diagnosis improves patient outcomes but remains challenging because of the limitations of current methods. To augment the clinician's toolkit for rapid diagnosis of AF infections, we are investigating AF secreted proteases as novel diagnostic targets. The AF genome encodes up to 100 secreted proteases, but fewer than 15 of these enzymes have been characterized thus far. Given the large number of proteases in the genome, studies focused on individual enzymes may overlook potential diagnostic biomarkers. Methodology and Principal Findings As an alternative, we employed a combinatorial library of internally quenched fluorogenic probes (IQFPs) to profile the global proteolytic secretome of an AF clinical isolate in vitro. Comparative protease activity profiling revealed 212 substrate sequences that were cleaved by AF secreted proteases but not by normal human serum. A central finding was that isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine predominated at each of the three variable positions of the library (44.1%, 59.1%, and 57.0%, respectively) among substrate sequences cleaved by AF secreted proteases. In contrast, fewer than 10% of the residues at each position of cleaved sequences were cationic or anionic. Consensus substrate motifs were cleaved by thermostable serine proteases that retained activity up to 50°C. Precise proteolytic cleavage sites were reliably determined by a simple, rapid mass spectrometry-based method, revealing predominantly non-prime side specificity. A comparison of the secreted protease activities of three AF clinical isolates revealed consistent protease substrate specificity fingerprints. However, secreted proteases of A. flavus, A. nidulans, and A. terreus strains exhibited striking differences in their proteolytic signatures. Conclusions This report provides proof-of-principle for the use of protease substrate specificity profiling to define the proteolytic secretome of Aspergillus fumigatus. Expansion of this technique to protease secretion during infection could lead to development of novel approaches to fungal diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S. Watson
- Center for Advanced Drug Research, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Xizhi Feng
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David S. Askew
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kalyani Jambunathan
- Center for Advanced Drug Research, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Krishna Kodukula
- Center for Advanced Drug Research, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Amit K. Galande
- Center for Advanced Drug Research, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wartenberg D, Lapp K, Jacobsen ID, Dahse HM, Kniemeyer O, Heinekamp T, Brakhage AA. Secretome analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus reveals Asp-hemolysin as a major secreted protein. Int J Med Microbiol 2011; 301:602-11. [PMID: 21658997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2011.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2011] [Revised: 04/07/2011] [Accepted: 04/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface-associated and secreted proteins represent primarily exposed components of Aspergillus fumigatus during host infection. Several secreted proteins are known to be involved in defense mechanisms or immune evasion, thus, probably contributing to pathogenicity. Furthermore, several secreted antigens were identified as possible biomarkers for the verification of diseases caused by Aspergillus species. Nevertheless, there is only limited knowledge about the composition of the secretome and about molecular functions of particular proteins. To identify secreted proteins potentially essential for virulence, the core secretome of A. fumigatus grown in minimal medium was determined. Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic separation and subsequent MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analyses resulted in the identification of 64 different proteins. Additionally, secretome analyses of A. fumigatus utilizing elastin, collagen or keratin as main carbon and nitrogen source were performed. Thereby, the alkaline serine protease Alp1 was identified as the most abundant protein and hence presumably represents an important protease during host infection. Interestingly, the Asp-hemolysin (Asp-HS), which belongs to the protein family of aegerolysins and which was often suggested to be involved in fungal virulence, was present in the secretome under all growth conditions tested. In addition, a second, non-secreted protein with an aegerolysin domain annotated as Asp-hemolysin-like (HS-like) protein can be found to be encoded in the genome of A. fumigatus. Generation and analysis of Asp-HS and HS-like deletion strains revealed no differences in phenotype compared to the corresponding wild-type strain. Furthermore, hemolysis and cytotoxicity was not altered in both single-deletion and double-deletion mutants lacking both aegerolysin genes. All mutant strains showed no attenuation in virulence in a mouse infection model for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of secreted proteins of A. fumigatus and a detailed characterization of hemolysin mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Wartenberg
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
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Modification of an expression vector for efficient recombinant production and purification of mitogillin of Aspergillus fumigatus expressed in Escherichia coli. Protein Expr Purif 2011; 76:90-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2010.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2010] [Revised: 09/19/2010] [Accepted: 09/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Kotz A, Wagener J, Engel J, Routier FH, Echtenacher B, Jacobsen I, Heesemann J, Ebel F. Approaching the secrets of N-glycosylation in Aspergillus fumigatus: characterization of the AfOch1 protein. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15729. [PMID: 21206755 PMCID: PMC3012087 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2010] [Accepted: 11/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mannosyltransferase Och1 is the key enzyme for synthesis of elaborated protein N-glycans in yeast. In filamentous fungi genes implicated in outer chain formation are present, but their function is unclear. In this study we have analyzed the Och1 protein of Aspergillus fumigatus. We provide first evidence that poly-mannosylated N-glycans exist in A. fumigatus and that their synthesis requires AfOch1 activity. This implies that AfOch1 plays a similar role as S. cerevisiae ScOch1 in the initiation of an N-glycan outer chain. A Δafoch1 mutant showed normal growth under standard and various stress conditions including elevated temperature, cell wall and oxidative stress. However, sporulation of this mutant was dramatically reduced in the presence of high calcium concentrations, suggesting that certain proteins engaged in sporulation require N-glycan outer chains to be fully functional. A characteristic feature of AfOch1 and Och1 homologues from other filamentous fungi is a signal peptide that clearly distinguishes them from their yeast counterparts. However, this difference does not appear to have consequences for its localization in the Golgi. Replacing the signal peptide of AfOch1 by a membrane anchor had no impact on its ability to complement the sporulation defect of the Δafoch1 strain. The mutant triggered a normal cytokine response in infected murine macrophages, arguing against a role of outer chains as relevant Aspergillus pathogen associated molecular patterns. Infection experiments provided no evidence for attenuation in virulence; in fact, according to our data the Δafoch1 mutant may even be slightly more virulent than the control strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kotz
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Wagener
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Jakob Engel
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | | | - Bernd Echtenacher
- Institute for Immunology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ilse Jacobsen
- Department for Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Jena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heesemann
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Ebel
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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Singh B, Oellerich M, Kumar R, Kumar M, Bhadoria DP, Reichard U, Gupta VK, Sharma GL, Asif AR. Immuno-Reactive Molecules Identified from the Secreted Proteome of Aspergillus fumigatus. J Proteome Res 2010; 9:5517-29. [DOI: 10.1021/pr100604x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Singh
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Michael Oellerich
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Ram Kumar
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Manish Kumar
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Dharam P. Bhadoria
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Utz Reichard
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Vijay K. Gupta
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Gainda L. Sharma
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
| | - Abdul R. Asif
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str.40, D-37075 Goettingen, Germany, Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India, Department of Medical Microbiology and National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Goettingen, Kreuzburgring 57, D
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Jami MS, García-Estrada C, Barreiro C, Cuadrado AA, Salehi-Najafabadi Z, Martín JF. The Penicillium chrysogenum extracellular proteome. Conversion from a food-rotting strain to a versatile cell factory for white biotechnology. Mol Cell Proteomics 2010; 9:2729-44. [PMID: 20823121 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m110.001412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum is well-known by its ability to synthesize β-lactam antibiotics as well as other secondary metabolites. Like other filamentous fungi, this microorganism is an excellent host for secretion of extracellular proteins because of the high capacity of its protein secretion machinery. In this work, we have characterized the extracellular proteome reference map of P. chrysogenum Wisconsin 54-1255 by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. This method allowed the correct identification of 279 spots by peptide mass fingerprinting and tandem MS. These 279 spots included 328 correctly identified proteins, which corresponded to 131 different proteins and their isoforms. One hundred and two proteins out of 131 were predicted to contain either classical or nonclassical secretion signal peptide sequences, providing evidence of the authentic extracellular location of these proteins. Proteins with higher representation in the extracellular proteome were those involved in plant cell wall degradation (polygalacturonase, pectate lyase, and glucan 1,3-β-glucosidase), utilization of nutrients (extracellular acid phosphatases and 6-hydroxy-d-nicotine oxidase), and stress response (catalase R). This filamentous fungus also secretes enzymes specially relevant for food industry, such as sulfydryl oxidase, dihydroxy-acid dehydratase, or glucoamylase. The identification of several antigens in the extracellular proteome also highlights the importance of this microorganism as one of the main indoor allergens. Comparison of the extracellular proteome among three strains of P. chrysogenum, the wild-type NRRL 1951, the Wis 54-1255 (an improved, moderate penicillin producer), and the AS-P-78 (a penicillin high-producer), provided important insights to consider improved strains of this filamentous fungus as versatile cell-factories of interest, beyond antibiotic production, for other aspects of white biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad-Saeid Jami
- Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
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Leal SM, Cowden S, Hsia YC, Ghannoum MA, Momany M, Pearlman E. Distinct roles for Dectin-1 and TLR4 in the pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis. PLoS Pathog 2010; 6:e1000976. [PMID: 20617171 PMCID: PMC2895653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2009] [Accepted: 05/28/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species are a major worldwide cause of corneal ulcers, resulting in visual impairment and blindness in immunocompetent individuals. To enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of Aspergillus keratitis, we developed a murine model in which red fluorescent protein (RFP)-expressing A. fumigatus (Af293.1RFP) conidia are injected into the corneal stroma, and disease progression and fungal survival are tracked over time. Using Mafia mice in which c-fms expressing macrophages and dendritic cells can be induced to undergo apoptosis, we demonstrated that the presence of resident corneal macrophages is essential for production of IL-1beta and CXCL1/KC, and for recruitment of neutrophils and mononuclear cells into the corneal stroma. We found that beta-glucan was highly expressed on germinating conidia and hyphae in the cornea stroma, and that both Dectin-1 and phospho-Syk were up-regulated in infected corneas. Additionally, we show that infected Dectin-1(-/-) corneas have impaired IL-1beta and CXCL1/KC production, resulting in diminished cellular infiltration and fungal clearance compared with control mice, especially during infection with clinical isolates expressing high beta-glucan. In contrast to Dectin 1(-/-) mice, cellular infiltration into infected TLR2(-/-), TLR4(-/-), and MD-2(-/-) mice corneas was unimpaired, indicating no role for these receptors in cell recruitment; however, fungal killing was significantly reduced in TLR4(-/-) mice, but not TLR2(-/-) or MD-2(-/-) mice. We also found that TRIF(-/-) and TIRAP(-/-) mice exhibited no fungal-killing defects, but that MyD88(-/-) and IL-1R1(-/-) mice were unable to regulate fungal growth. In conclusion, these data are consistent with a model in which beta-glucan on A.fumigatus germinating conidia activates Dectin-1 on corneal macrophages to produce IL-1beta, and CXCL1, which together with IL-1R1/MyD88-dependent activation, results in recruitment of neutrophils to the corneal stroma and TLR4-dependent fungal killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixto M. Leal
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Susan Cowden
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yen-Cheng Hsia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mahmoud A. Ghannoum
- Center for Medical Mycology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michelle Momany
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
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Dichtl K, Ebel F, Dirr F, Routier FH, Heesemann J, Wagener J. Farnesol misplaces tip-localized Rho proteins and inhibits cell wall integrity signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus. Mol Microbiol 2010; 76:1191-204. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07170.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Kotz A, Wagener J, Engel J, Routier F, Echtenacher B, Pich A, Rohde M, Hoffmann P, Heesemann J, Ebel F. The mitA gene of Aspergillus fumigatus is required for mannosylation of inositol-phosphorylceramide, but is dispensable for pathogenicity. Fungal Genet Biol 2010; 47:169-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2009] [Revised: 10/05/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Neustadt M, Costina V, Kupfahl C, Buchheidt D, Eckerskorn C, Neumaier M, Findeisen P. Characterization and identification of proteases secreted by Aspergillus fumigatus using free flow electrophoresis and MS. Electrophoresis 2009; 30:2142-50. [PMID: 19582717 DOI: 10.1002/elps.200800700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Early diagnosis of life-threatening invasive aspergillosis in neutropenic patients remains challenging because current laboratory methods have limited diagnostic sensitivity and/or specificity. Aspergillus species are known to secrete various pathogenetically relevant proteases and the monitoring of their protease activity in serum specimens might serve as a new diagnostic approach.For the characterization and identification of secreted proteases, the culture supernatant of Aspergillus fumigatus was fractionated using free flow electrophoresis (Becton Dickinson). Protease activity of separated fractions was measured using fluorescently labeled reporter peptides. Fractions were also co-incubated in parallel with various protease inhibitors that specifically inhibit a distinct class of proteases e.g. metallo- or cysteine-proteases. Those fractions with high protease activity were further subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis for protease identification. The highest protease activity was measured in fractions with an acidic pH range. The results of the 'inhibitor-panel' gave a clear indication that it is mainly metallo- and serine-proteases that are involved in the degradation of reporter peptides. Furthermore, several proteases were identified that facilitate the optimization of reporter peptides for functional protease profiling as a diagnostic tool for invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madlen Neustadt
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
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Prados-Rosales R, Luque-Garcia JL, Martínez-López R, Gil C, Di Pietro A. The Fusarium oxysporum
cell wall proteome under adhesion-inducing conditions. Proteomics 2009; 9:4755-69. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200800950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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28
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Bauer B, Schwienbacher M, Broniszewska M, Israel L, Heesemann J, Ebel F. Characterisation of the CipC-like protein AFUA_5G09330 of the opportunistic human pathogenic mould Aspergillus fumigatus. Mycoses 2009; 53:296-304. [PMID: 19486301 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2009.01718.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is currently the major airborne fungal pathogen that menaces immunocompromised individuals. Germination of inhaled conidia is a hallmark of the early infection process, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. The intention of our ongoing studies is the identification of A. fumigatus proteins that are differentially expressed during germination and may provide insights in the germination process. Using a proteomic approach, we identified AFUA_5G09330 as a major hyphal-specific protein. This result was confirmed using monoclonal antibodies generated in this study. AFUA_5G09330 belongs to a fungal-specific protein family. The eponymous CipC protein of A. nidulans has been shown to be induced by concanamycin A, and transcriptional data from Cryptococcus neoformans demonstrate a strong up-regulation of the expression of a homologous gene during infection. Our data provide evidence that AFUA_5G09330 is a monomeric, cytoplasmic protein. We found no evidence for an overexpression of AFUA_5G09330 induced by concanamycin A or other stress conditions. AFUA_5G09330 is exclusively found in the hyphal morphotype that enables an invasive growth of A. fumigatus during infection. Further studies are required to define the biological function of this hyphae-specific protein and its potential relevance for the pathogenicity of A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Bauer
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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29
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Trigo G, Ferreira P, Ribeiro N, Dinis M, Andrade EB, Melo-Cristino J, Ramirez M, Tavares D. Identification of immunoreactive extracellular proteins of Streptococcus agalactiae in bovine mastitis. Can J Microbiol 2009; 54:899-905. [PMID: 18997846 DOI: 10.1139/w08-083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae is a common pathogen that causes bovine mastitis. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antibody response against S. agalactiae extracellular proteins in the whey and serum of naturally infected bovines and to identify possible immunodominant extracellular antigens. IgG1 antibodies against S. agalactiae extracellular proteins were elevated in the whey and serum of naturally infected bovines. In the whey, the levels of IgG1 specific for S. agalactiae extracellular proteins were similar in infected and noninfected milk quarters from the same cow, and the production of antibodies specific for S. agalactiae extracellular proteins was induced only by infection with this bacterium. The immunoreactivity of extracellular proteins with bovine whey was clearly different in infected versus control animals. Group B protective surface protein and 5'-nucleotidase family protein were 2 major immunoreactive proteins that were detected only in the whey of infected cows, suggesting that these proteins may be important in the pathogenesis of S. agalactiae-induced mastitis. This information could be used to diagnose S. agalactiae infection. In addition, these antigens may be useful as carrier proteins for serotype-specific polysaccharides in conjugate vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Trigo
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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30
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Richie DL, Hartl L, Aimanianda V, Winters MS, Fuller KK, Miley MD, White S, McCarthy JW, Latgé JP, Feldmesser M, Rhodes JC, Askew DS. A role for the unfolded protein response (UPR) in virulence and antifungal susceptibility in Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS Pathog 2009; 5:e1000258. [PMID: 19132084 PMCID: PMC2606855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2008] [Accepted: 12/08/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi rely heavily on the secretory pathway, both for the delivery of cell wall components to the hyphal tip and the production and secretion of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes needed to support growth on polymeric substrates. Increased demand on the secretory system exerts stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is countered by the activation of a coordinated stress response pathway termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). To determine the contribution of the UPR to the growth and virulence of the filamentous fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, we disrupted the hacA gene, encoding the major transcriptional regulator of the UPR. The ΔhacA mutant was unable to activate the UPR in response to ER stress and was hypersensitive to agents that disrupt ER homeostasis or the cell wall. Failure to induce the UPR did not affect radial growth on rich medium at 37°C, but cell wall integrity was disrupted at 45°C, resulting in a dramatic loss in viability. The ΔhacA mutant displayed a reduced capacity for protease secretion and was growth-impaired when challenged to assimilate nutrients from complex substrates. In addition, the ΔhacA mutant exhibited increased susceptibility to current antifungal agents that disrupt the membrane or cell wall and had attenuated virulence in multiple mouse models of invasive aspergillosis. These results demonstrate the importance of ER homeostasis to the growth and virulence of A. fumigatus and suggest that targeting the UPR, either alone or in combination with other antifungal drugs, would be an effective antifungal strategy. The pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus is the leading cause of airborne fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. The fungus normally resides in compost, an environment that challenges the organism to obtain nutrients by degrading complex organic polymers. This is accomplished by secreted enzymes, some of which may also contribute to nutrient acquisition during infection. Extracellular enzymes are folded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) prior to secretion. If the folding capacity of the ER is overwhelmed by increased secretory demand, the resulting ER stress triggers an adaptive response termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). In this study, we uncover a previously unknown function for the master transcriptional regulator of the UPR, HacA, in fungal virulence. In the absence of HacA, A. fumigatus was unable to secrete high levels of proteins and had reduced virulence in mice. In addition, loss of HacA caused a cell wall defect and increased susceptibility to two major classes of antifungal drugs used for the treatment of aspergillosis. These findings demonstrate that A. fumigatus relies on HacA for growth in the host environment and suggest that therapeutic targeting of the UPR could have merit against A. fumigatus, as well as other eukaryotic pathogens with highly developed secretory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl L. Richie
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Lukas Hartl
- Unité des Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Michael S. Winters
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kevin K. Fuller
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Miley
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Stephanie White
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jason W. McCarthy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Marta Feldmesser
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Judith C. Rhodes
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David S. Askew
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Production, purification and characterisation of proteases from whey by some fungi. ANN MICROBIOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03175548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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The putative alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase AfMnt1 of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is required for cell wall stability and full virulence. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2008; 7:1661-73. [PMID: 18708564 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00221-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Proteins entering the eukaryotic secretory pathway commonly are glycosylated. Important steps in this posttranslational modification are carried out by mannosyltransferases. In this study, we investigated the putative alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase AfMnt1 of the human pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus. AfMnt1 belongs to a family of enzymes that comprises nine members in Saccharomyces cerevisiae but only three in A. fumigatus. A Deltaafmnt1 mutant is viable and grows normally at 37 degrees C, but its hyphal cell wall appears to be thinner than that of the parental strain. The lack of AfMnt1 leads to a higher sensitivity to calcofluor white and Congo red but not to sodium dodecyl sulfate. The growth of the mutant is abrogated at 48 degrees C but can be restored by osmotic stabilization. The resulting colonies remain white due to a defect in the formation of conidia. Electron and immunofluorescence microscopy further revealed that the observed growth defect of the mutant at 48 degrees C can be attributed to cell wall instability resulting in leakage at the hyphal tips. Using a red fluorescence fusion protein, we localized AfMnt1 in compact, brefeldin A-sensitive organelles that most likely represent fungal Golgi equivalents. The tumor necrosis factor alpha response of murine macrophages to hyphae was not affected by the lack of the afmnt1 gene, but the corresponding mutant was attenuated in a mouse model of infection. This and the increased sensitivity of the Deltaafmnt1 mutant to azoles, antifungal agents that currently are used to treat Aspergillus infections, suggest that alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferases are interesting targets for novel antifungal drugs.
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Kniemeyer O, Lessing F, Brakhage AA. Proteome analysis for pathogenicity and new diagnostic markers for Aspergillus fumigatus. Med Mycol 2008; 47 Suppl 1:S248-54. [PMID: 18651311 DOI: 10.1080/13693780802169138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
With the completion of the Aspergillus fumigatus genome it is now possible to study protein regulation on a global scale. One of the most suitable protein separation techniques is based on 2D-gel electrophoresis, which allows the separation of proteins based on their charge and size in a gel matrix. In addition, gel-free proteomics techniques based on liquid-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry have gained importance. With the application of proteomic tools a comprehensive overview about the proteins of A. fumigatus present or induced during environmental changes and stress conditions can be obtained. For A. fumigatus, several proteomic studies have already been published including the response of the fungus to oxidative stress that induced the up-regulation of many proteins including catalases and thioredoxin peroxidase. Since many of the identified proteins/genes were apparently regulated by a putative Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yap1 homolog, the corresponding gene of A. fumigatus was identified, designated Afyap1 and further characterized. In addition, some of the gene products expressed under stress conditions are also known fungal antigens, such as the thioredoxin peroxidase AspF3. Thus, besides pathogenicity studies, proteomics also delivers the tools to screen for new antigens which could improve the diagnosis of diseases caused by A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Kniemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knoell-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.
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Gautam P, Sundaram CS, Madan T, Gade WN, Shah A, Sirdeshmukh R, Sarma PU. Identification of novel allergens of Aspergillus fumigatus using immunoproteomics approach. Clin Exp Allergy 2007; 37:1239-49. [PMID: 17651155 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2007.02765.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 20% of the world's asthmatics are suffering from Aspergillus fumigatus (Afu)-induced allergies. The characterization of specific IgE-inducing allergens in allergic aspergillosis patients is fundamental for clinical diagnosis and for immunotherapy. METHODS Immunoproteomics combined with mass spectrometric analysis was used to identify proteins of third-week culture filtrate (3wcf) potentially responsible for Afu-specific IgE immunoreactivity, using pooled sera from Afu-sensitized asthmatics. Their allergenic potential was also tested against patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis immunoblotting of 3wcf proteins with individual sera from such patients. This helped us to establish a set of candidate allergens, which could be explored further for diagnostic application in allergic aspergillosis asthmatics including ABPA. RESULTS Peptide mass fingerprint using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and/or de novo sequencing by MS/MS analysis of the protein spots from 2-D gels led to the identification of a total of 16 allergens of Afu. Eleven of them are being reported as allergens for the first time and five had been reported earlier. Putative isoforms of the proteins Asp f 13 and chitosanase have been observed for the first time. When studied for reactivity of these proteins among patients with ABPA using their individual sera, these patients exhibited sensitization although the pattern was varying. Taken together, these proteins could thus be considered as potential allergens even among patients with ABPA. Three of these proteins viz. the hypothetical protein (# spot no. 5), extracellular arabinase (# spot no. 6) and chitosanase (# spot no. 11) could be major allergens with specific IgE immunoreactivity with six out of eight patients' sera. CONCLUSIONS The immunoproteomic approach applied to the analysis of culture filtrate proteins resulted in the identification of several candidate allergens, many of them novel, contributing to the catalogue of Afu allergenic proteins, which would facilitate improved serodiagnosis for allergic aspergillosis. In addition, the immunoreactivity of these proteins observed among the patients with ABPA may be potentially useful for its serodiagnosis and opens up further opportunities for the development of personalized immunotherapeutics for patients with ABPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gautam
- Molecular Biochemistry and Diagnostics Division, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
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35
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Giddey K, Monod M, Barblan J, Potts A, Waridel P, Zaugg C, Quadroni M. Comprehensive analysis of proteins secreted by Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton violaceum under in vitro conditions. J Proteome Res 2007; 6:3081-92. [PMID: 17622167 DOI: 10.1021/pr070153m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dermatophytes cause most superficial mycoses in humans and animals. Their pathogenicity is probably linked with the secretion of proteins degrading keratinised structures. Using 2D-PAGE and a shotgun mass spectrometry approach, we identified 80 proteins from Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton violaceum secretomes, under conditions mimicking those in the host. Identified proteins included endo- and exoproteases, other hydrolases, and oxidoreductases. Our findings can contribute to a better understanding of the virulence mechanisms of the two species and the different types of infection they cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Giddey
- Service de Dermatologie et Venereologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Schaal R, Kupfahl C, Buchheidt D, Neumaier M, Findeisen P. Systematic identification of substrates for profiling of secreted proteases from Aspergillus species. J Microbiol Methods 2007; 71:93-100. [PMID: 17707935 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2007.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2006] [Revised: 04/21/2007] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reliable and early diagnosis of life-threatening invasive mycoses in neutropenic patients caused by fungi of the Aspergillus species remains challenging because current clinical diagnostic tools lack in sensitivity and/or specificity. During invasive growth a variety of fungal proteases are secreted into the bloodstream and protease profiling with reporter peptides might improve diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in serum specimens. To characterise the specific protease activity of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger we analyzed Aspergillus culture supernatants, human serum and the mixture of both. A systematic screening for optimised protease substrates was performed using a random peptide library consisting of 360 synthetic peptides featuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). We could identify numerous peptides that are selectively cleaved by fungus-specific proteases. These reporter peptides might be feasible for future protease profiling of serum specimens to improve diagnosis and monitoring of invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Schaal
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, University Hospital Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
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Vickers I, Reeves EP, Kavanagh KA, Doyle S. Isolation, activity and immunological characterisation of a secreted aspartic protease, CtsD, from Aspergillus fumigatus. Protein Expr Purif 2007; 53:216-24. [PMID: 17275325 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2006.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2006] [Revised: 12/18/2006] [Accepted: 12/19/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that infects immunocompromised patients. A putative aspartic protease gene (ctsD; 1425 bp; intron-free) was identified and cloned. CtsD is evolutionarily distinct from all previously identified A. fumigatus aspartic proteases. Recombinant CtsD was expressed in inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli (0.2mg/g cells) and subjected to extensive proteolysis in the baculovirus expression system. Activation studies performed on purified, refolded, recombinant CtsD resulted in protease activation with a pH(opt)4.0 and specific activity=10 U/mg. Pepstatin A also inhibited recombinant CtsD activity by up to 72% thereby confirming classification as an aspartic protease. Native CtsD was also immunologically identified in culture supernatants and purified from fungal cultures using pepstatin-agarose affinity chromatography (7.8 microg CtsD/g mycelia). In A. fumigatus, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed expression of ctsD in minimal and proteinaceous media only. Expression of ctsD was absent under nutrient-rich conditions. Expression of ctsD was also detected, in vivo, in the Galleria mellonella virulence model following A. fumigatus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imelda Vickers
- National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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Luther K, Ebel F. Toll-like receptors: Recent advances, open questions and implications for aspergillosis control. Med Mycol 2006; 44:S219-S227. [PMID: 30408907 DOI: 10.1080/13693780600892972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic mould that can cause severe and life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. Apart from novel and improved antifungals, additional strategies are required to protect patients at risk from developing invasive aspergillosis. Given the problems in diagnosis of this disease, important perspectives lie in attempts to elicit and strengthen a protective immunity. The innate immune system is the first line of defence against A. fumigatus. Phagocytes engulf and kill inhaled conidia, but also closely communicate with the adaptive immune system. Recognition of invading microbes is mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), and Toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and TLR4 have been implicated in the immune response to A. fumigatus. The analysis of this process is hampered by the fact that A. fumigatus infections are inevitably coupled to germination resulting in the appearance of different fungal morphotypes, like conidia and hyphae. While conflicting data still exist on the relative importance of TLR2 and 4 in recognition of distinct A. fumigatus morphotypes, recent evidence suggests that certain TLR agonists can be used to divert the immune response towards an optimal fungicidal activity in the absence of detrimental inflammatory consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Luther
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Ebel
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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